Effect of Hand Grip and Center of Mass Location on Muscle Activity While Manipulating a Surgical Table Segment.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSHand grip location relative to the center of mass of an object can impact the activity of trunk and upper limb muscles. Aligning the hand grip location with the center of mass in the anterior/posterior direction minimizes muscle activity. Whether a proximal or distal grip requires more effort appears to be muscle dependent. Our work illustrates how design features influencing hand grip and center of mass location, such as handles and hand-operated mechanisms, can impact the user. Reducing physical effort via design is important to improve usability and help mitigate the high incidence of musculoskeletal injury resulting from manual materials handling tasks.

Background Manual materials handling tasks are associated with a high risk of injury. The physical effort required to lift and manipulate objects can be influenced by design.Purpose Examine the effect of hand grip location and center of mass on physical effort during a surgical table section attachment task.Methods Twelve participants lifted, carried, and placed a table section onto a surgical table. Hand grip and center of mass location of the table section were both modified in three anteroposterior axis directions (proximal, aligned, and distal), as was the mass (6.8, 9.1, and 11.4 kg). Physical effort was quantified as the normalized peak activity from six unilateral trunk and upper limb muscles recorded via surface electromyography.Results As hypothesized, when an effect was present, aligning the hand grip with the center of mass resulted in the lowest level of muscle activity for all muscles. Whether a proximal or distal relationship between hand grip and the center of mass was more arduous differed by muscle: the deltoid, biceps, and extensor digitorum had greater activity with a center of mass located distal to the hand grip, while erector spinae and trapezius muscles had greater activity with a hand grip distal to the center of mass. Flexor digitorum activity was high in both misaligned conditions of hand grip. Mass, as has been previously documented, had a significant and direct effect on all muscle groups.Conclusions This work has implications for design features such as handles, buttons, or release mechanisms that can dictate where the user grips. By quantifying the impact of anteroposterior axis hand grip and center of mass location on the physical demands of manipulating an object, ergonomists and designers can consider the consequences of incorporating features that could misalign the hand grip location and center of mass.

Supporting left-handed trainees in sinus and skull base surgery: A call for inclusive ergonomics.

KEY POINTS: The surgeon's hand dominance impacts ergonomics in endoscopic endonasal surgery. Left-handed trainees experience difficulty learning certain surgical techniques. OR adjustments optimize ergonomics for left-handed trainees without compromising others.

Musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The job of sonographers exposes them to numerous ergonomic risk factors, making the sonography profession one of the high-risk job groups vulnerable to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The present systematic review and meta-analysis specifically examined the prevalence of MSDs among sonographers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present review study was carried out in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol of the study was registered in the international prospective register of systematic review (PROSPERO) with the code CRD42024507972. Searches were conducted in databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, SID, ISC, and Google Scholar, without imposing a time limit until February 7th, 2024. The random-effects model was employed for meta-analysis, and the I2 index was used to assess heterogeneity among studies. Finally, data analysis was performed using STATA (version 14). RESULTS: Based on the search in different databases, a total of 4367 articles were identified. Finally, after screening, selecting, and quality evaluation of the studies, 30 studies were considered for meta-analysis in which 13,916 sonographers were examined. According to the results of the meta-analysis, the overall prevalence of MSDs among sonographers was reported as 75.80% (95% CI: 65.37-86.23, I2 = 99.7%, P < 0.001). Additionally, the prevalence rates of these disorders in the neck (63.73%), shoulder (60.13%), upper back (53.69%), lower back (49.84%), wrist (44.41%), elbow (27.46), hip (24.93%), knee (19.59), and ankle (16.92%) were determined. CONCLUSION: Given the relatively high prevalence of MSDs among sonographers and the importance of reducing specific risk factors associated with their duties, it is recommended to consider solutions such as carrying out ergonomic assessments and interventions, as well as providing training programs and appropriate corrective exercises to mitigate MSDs among sonographers.

Usability of the zilucoplan prefilled syringe for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis: insights from a human factors validation study.

BACKGROUND: Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is a chronic, autoimmune neuromuscular disease, often accompanied by high treatment burden. The objective of this usability study was to validate that the zilucoplan prefilled syringe (PFS) can be used safely and effectively. METHODS: The study recruited 75 participants representing five distinct user groups (injection-naïve gMG patients, injection-experienced gMG patients, injection-naïve caregivers, injection-experienced caregivers, and healthcare professionals), who each simulated an injection without being directed to use the instructions for use (IFU). Participants were then asked to repeat the process as directed by the IFU. Participants were assessed and use errors identified using performance-based criteria. RESULTS: 73/75 (97.3%) participants were able to safely administer the dose of medication during the first simulated use, with or without the IFU. When utilizing the IFU, all 75 (100.0%) participants were able to administer the medication. The rate of use errors was low, with pass rates for observation-based tasks ranging from 85.3% to 100.0%, and in general, after participants were instructed to refer to the IFU, the rate of use errors was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: This human factors study demonstrated that the zilucoplan PFS is safe and effective for intended users, including patients with gMG and their caregivers.

Comparison of neck angle and musculoskeletal discomfort of surgeon in cataract surgery between three-dimensional heads-up display system and conventional microscope.

The three-dimensional heads-up display system (3D HUDS) is increasingly utilized by ophthalmologists and suggested to offer ergonomic benefits compared to conventional operating microscopes. We aimed to quantitatively assess the surgeon's neck angle and musculoskeletal discomfort during cataract surgery using commercially available 3D HUDS and conventional microscope. In this single-center comparative observational study, the surgeon conducted routine phacoemulsification surgeries using Artevo® 800 and Opmi Lumera® 700 (both from Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany). The surgeon's intraoperative neck angle was measured using the Cervical Range of Motion device. Postoperative musculoskeletal discomfort was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score after each surgery. A total of 80 cataract surgeries were analyzed, with 40 using Artevo® 800 and 40 using Opmi Lumera® 700. The neck angle was extended when using Artevo® 800 and flexed when using Opmi Lumera® 700 during continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), phacoemulsification, and intraocular lens (IOL) placement (- 8.18 ± 2.85° vs. 8.27 ± 2.93° in CCC, - 7.83 ± 3.30° vs. 8.87 ± 2.83° in phacoemulsification, - 7.43 ± 3.80° vs. 7.67 ± 3.73° in IOL placement, respectively; all p < 0.001). The VAS score was significantly lower in surgeries performed with Artevo® 800 (1.27 ± 0.55 vs. 1.73 ± 0.64, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that 3D HUDS help reduce neck flexion and lower work-related musculoskeletal discomfort through ergonomic improvements.

Effectiveness of a Goldilocks work intervention to promote musculoskeletal health among industrial workers - A cluster randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Industrial workers with physically demanding work have increased risk of musculoskeletal pain. The present 12-week Goldilocks Work intervention aimed to organize work among industrial workers to comprise a 'just right' ergonomic balance of physical behaviors (i.e., sit, stand and active) intended to promote musculoskeletal health. The paper investigates the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing low back pain after work. METHODS: 83 workers across 28 workteams in a biotech organization were recruited. Workteams were randomly allocated to receive the intervention or work as usual (control). Intervention workteams implemented the Goldilocks Work planning tool to organize their work tasks towards a predefined 'just right' ergonomic balance (i.e., composition of 60% sitting, 30% standing, 10% active work and hourly task alternation). The primary outcome was low back pain intensity. Secondary outcomes were bodily pain, fatigue, physical exertion, productivity and energy after work measured in the survey, and composition and alternations of physical behaviors measured using wearable sensors. RESULTS: The intervention was delivered almost as planned, with good quality and high adherence among most workteams. However, the intervention did not change physical behaviors towards the intended 'just right' ergonomic balance. No significant reduction in low back pain (0.07, CI 95%: -0.68; 0.82), bodily pain (0.10, CI 95%: -0.57; 0.76), tiredness (-0.53, CI 95%: -1.24; 0.19), physical exertion (-0.18, CI 95%: -0.83; 0.48), or improvement in energy (0.39, CI 95%: -1.02; 0.23) or productivity (-0.03, CI 95%: -0.77; 0.72) were found. CONCLUSION: This Goldilocks Work intervention did not promote musculoskeletal health among industrial workers and did not change physical behaviors as intended. Thus, more research is needed into implementation strategies to change physical behaviors during productive work towards an evidence-based 'just right' ergonomic balance.

Modeling the Impact of Ergonomic Interventions and Occupational Factors on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Neck of Office Workers with Machine Learning Methods.

BACKGROUND: Modeling with methods based on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence can help understand the complex relationships between ergonomic risk factors and employee health. The aim of this study was to use ML methods to estimate the effect of individual factors, ergonomic interventions, quality of work life (QWL), and productivity on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in the neck area of office workers. Study Design: A quasi-randomized control trial. METHODS: To measure the impact of interventions, modeling with the ML method was performed on the data of a quasi-randomized control trial. The data included the information of 311 office workers (aged 32.04±5.34). Method neighborhood component analysis (NCA) was used to measure the effect of factors affecting WMSDs, and then support vector machines (SVMs) and decision tree algorithms were utilized to classify the decrease or increase of disorders. RESULTS: Three classified models were designed according to the follow-up times of the field study, with accuracies of 86.5%, 80.3%, and 69%, respectively. These models could estimate most influencer factors with acceptable sensitivity. The main factors included age, body mass index, interventions, QWL, some subscales, and several psychological factors. Models predicted that relative absenteeism and presenteeism were not related to the outputs. CONCLUSION: In this study, the focus was on disorders in the neck, and the obtained models revealed that individual and management interventions can be the main factors in reducing WMSDs in the neck. Modeling with ML methods can create a new understanding of the relationships between variables affecting WMSDs.

A Human Factors Approach for Designing, Developing and Deploying Technology for Aging in the Right Place.

Technology to support aging in the right place (AIRP) has much promise, but the potential is not yet being met. In their paper outlining the opportunities and challenges in the use of technology to support AIRP, Kokorelias et al. (2024) provided a roadmap for the next steps. Our commentary focuses on two questions they raised: (1) How can technology be designed and developed to better meet the specific needs, preferences and abilities of older adults? (2) How do we evaluate technology in natural settings? Widespread technology adoption will emerge from consideration of the users; an understanding of their unique needs; iterative participatory design and user testing; and support for facilitating conditions to ease deployment into people's lives and minimize abandonment.

An Assessment of Back and Shoulder Postures in Single-Handed Exertions: Expanding Ergonomic Reaching Guidelines to Consider Lumbar Spine Axial Twist.

Occupational applicationsAcross a series of standing single-handed exertions performed at different lateral angles, distances, heights, and loads, lumbar axial twist exceeded an angular threshold of 9° in select exertions. Specifically, 9° of rightward axial twist was exceeded for all exertions performed laterally (90° from the body midline). Additionally, for those at the body midline, 9° of leftward axial twist was exceeded for upward exertions and exertions performed at far distances (tertiary reach envelope). Further, the data supports that for many exertions, lumbar flexion-extension and shoulder elevation would be unlikely to increase the potential for injury as angles remained within the in vivo lumbar neutral zone and were not considered overhead. Given the relationship between lateral hand exertions and lumbar axial twist, it is generally recommended that standing single-handed exertions not be performed beyond 60° from the midline. In addition to the current recommendations related to reach distance, future ergonomic reach envelope guidelines could benefit from incorporating recommendations on reach angle from the body midline.

Background Lumbar axial twist is a known risk factor for low back pain and injuries, yet current ergonomic reaching guidelines do not make recommendations related to lateral reach angle.Purpose Our analysis assessed non-neutral postures of the lumbar spine (i.e., axial twist and flexion-extension) and shoulder (i.e., elevation) during a variety of single-hand exertions performed in standing.Methods Twenty-four participants performed a series of standing right-handed exertions on a load cell. These exertions were performed at different lateral angles (0° at body midline and to the right at 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°), distances (primary, secondary, and tertiary reach envelopes), and heights (elbow and shoulder). At each location, three exertion types (downward, upward, and push) were performed at two heights (elbow and shoulder) and two loads (40 N and 60% of maximum forward push strength). Mean lumbar flexion­extension and axial twist and shoulder elevation were calculated from motion capture data.Results Data were evaluated relative to non-neutral postural thresholds for lumbar flexion­extension (<­19.6° and >­0.7° flexion), shoulder elevation (>60°), and lumbar axial twist (>9°). In most exertions, lumbar flexion­extension and shoulder elevation angles remained within the in vivo lumbar neutral zone and were not considered overhead. Axial twist at 9° would be exceeded at or shortly after exertions performed at 60° from the body midline (­4.1° to −11.5°) and for far (tertiary reach envelope) and upward exertions performed at the body midline (0°; 8.6° to 14.4°).Conclusions The potential for injury from lumbar flexion-extension and shoulder elevation remained low. While the type of exertion (downward, upward, or push) significantly influenced the magnitude of axial twist in each angle and distance, generally it is recommended that standing single-handed exertions not be performed beyond 60° from the midline across reach distances and beyond 0° for reaches at far distances. These findings should be incorporated into future ergonomic reach envelope guidelines.

Emerging occupational risks in green jobs: a review.

Green jobs are to be understood as those jobs directly associated with specific sustainability issues and activities related to the efficiency, quality and innovation of goods and services offered, from an eco-sustainability perspective. The objective of the research was to fill knowledge gaps of new and emerging environmental and occupational risks related to sustainable activities and to understand the impact these might have on workers' psychological and physical well-being. A selection of several scientific articles and a critical analysis of the selected articles was carried out from the perspective of defining the concept of "emerging occupational risks in green jobs," using different keywords in the title or abstract as search criteria. Emerging occupational risks, most prevalent in the green sector are those determined by the rapid introduction of new technologies, new materials, new processes and work organizations. In order to be able to improve prevention and protection at work, it is necessary to act on a more careful and adequate risk assessment, the definition of new professional figures expert in green issues, the expansion of research and development of scientific knowledge, and the improvement of ergonomic aspects. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(3):244-56.

Workplace Well-Being in Industry 5.0: A Worker-Centered Systematic Review.

The paradigm of Industry 5.0 pushes the transition from the traditional to a novel, smart, digital, and connected industry, where well-being is key to enhance productivity, optimize man-machine interaction and guarantee workers' safety. This work aims to conduct a systematic review of current methodologies for monitoring and analyzing physical and cognitive ergonomics. Three research questions are addressed: (1) which technologies are used to assess the physical and cognitive well-being of workers in the workplace, (2) how the acquired data are processed, and (3) what purpose this well-being is evaluated for. This way, individual factors within the holistic assessment of worker well-being are highlighted, and information is provided synthetically. The analysis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 statement guidelines. From the sixty-five articles collected, the most adopted (1) technological solutions, (2) parameters, and (3) data analysis and processing were identified. Wearable inertial measurement units and RGB-D cameras are the most prevalent devices used for physical monitoring; in the cognitive ergonomics, and cardiac activity is the most adopted physiological parameter. Furthermore, insights on practical issues and future developments are provided. Future research should focus on developing multi-modal systems that combine these aspects with particular emphasis on their practical application in real industrial settings.

Usability, Ergonomics, and Educational Value of a Novel Telestration Tool for Surgical Coaching: Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Telementoring studies found technical challenges in achieving accurate and stable annotations during live surgery using commercially available telestration software intraoperatively. To address the gap, a wireless handheld telestration device was developed to facilitate dynamic user interaction with live video streams. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to find the perceived usability, ergonomics, and educational value of a first-generation handheld wireless telestration platform. METHODS: A prototype was developed with four core hand-held functions: (1) free-hand annotation, (2) cursor navigation, (3) overlay and manipulation (rotation) of ghost (avatar) instrumentation, and (4) hand-held video feed navigation on a remote monitor. This device uses a proprietary augmented reality platform. Surgeons and trainees were invited to test the core functions of the platform by performing standardized tasks. Usability and ergonomics were evaluated with a validated system usability scale and a 5-point Likert scale survey, which also evaluated the perceived educational value of the device. RESULTS: In total, 10 people (9 surgeons and 1 senior resident; 5 male and 5 female) participated. Participants strongly agreed or agreed (SA/A) that it was easy to perform annotations (SA/A 9, 90% and neutral 0, 0%), video feed navigation (SA/A 8, 80% and neutral 1, 10%), and manipulation of ghost (avatar) instruments on the monitor (SA/A 6, 60% and neutral 3, 30%). Regarding ergonomics, 40% (4) of participants agreed or strongly agreed (neutral 4, 40%) that the device was physically comfortable to use and hold. These results are consistent with open-ended comments on the device's size and weight. The average system usability scale was 70 (SD 12.5; median 75, IQR 63-84) indicating an above average usability score. Participants responded favorably to the device's perceived educational value, particularly for postoperative coaching (agree 6, 60%, strongly agree 4, 40%). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the preliminary usability results of a novel first-generation telestration tool customized for use in surgical coaching. Favorable usability and perceived educational value were reported. Future iterations of the device should focus on incorporating user feedback and additional studies should be conducted to evaluate its effectiveness for improving surgical education. Ultimately, such tools can be incorporated into pedagogical models of surgical coaching to optimize feedback and training.

Inertial Motion Capture-Driven Digital Human for Ergonomic Validation: A Case Study of Core Drilling.

In the evolving realm of ergonomics, there is a growing demand for enhanced comfortability, visibility, and accessibility in the operation of engineering machinery. This study introduces an innovative approach to assess the ergonomics of a driller's cabin by utilizing a digital human. Through the utilization of inertial motion capture sensors, the method enables the operation of a virtual driller animated by real human movements, thereby producing more precise and realistic human-machine interaction data. Additionally, this study develops a simplified model for the human upper limbs, facilitating the calculation of joint forces and torques. An ergonomic analysis platform, encompassing a virtual driller's cabin and a digital human model, is constructed using Unity 3D. This platform enables the quantitative evaluation of comfortability, visibility, and accessibility. Its versatility extends beyond the current scope, offering substantial support for product development and enhancement.

Human factors methods in the design of digital decision support systems for population health: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: While Human Factors (HF) methods have been applied to the design of decision support systems (DSS) to aid clinical decision-making, the role of HF to improve decision-support for population health outcomes is less understood. We sought to comprehensively understand how HF methods have been used in designing digital population health DSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched English documents published in health sciences and engineering databases (Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, Scopus, Comendex, Inspec, IEEE Xplore) between January 1990 and September 2023 describing the development, validation or application of HF principles to decision support tools in population health. RESULTS: We identified 21,581 unique records and included 153 studies for data extraction and synthesis. We included research articles that had a target end-user in population health and that used HF. HF methods were applied throughout the design lifecycle. Users were engaged early in the design lifecycle in the needs assessment and requirements gathering phase and design and prototyping phase with qualitative methods such as interviews. In later stages in the lifecycle, during user testing and evaluation, and post deployment evaluation, quantitative methods were more frequently used. However, only three studies used an experimental framework or conducted A/B testing. CONCLUSIONS: While HF have been applied in a variety of contexts in the design of data-driven DSSs for population health, few have used Human Factors to its full potential. We offer recommendations for how HF can be leveraged throughout the design lifecycle. Most crucially, system designers should engage with users early on and throughout the design process. Our findings can support stakeholders to further empower public health systems.

Prevalence, incidence and associated factors of musculoskeletal disorders before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in faculty members: a comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the broad acceptance of distance education (DE), with university professors and students conducting the teaching-learning process remotely from their homes. The propose of this study to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify risk factors associated with DE that may contribute to an increased incidence of these disorders among university professors. METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study took a comparative approach and involved 310 university professors in Iran. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire. Initially, demographic and occupational information of the professors, hours of physical activity, and hours spent using electronic devices were recorded. Participants were then asked to report MSDs in various body areas throughout the previous year and the previous seven days. Finally, MSDs risk factors such as workstation ergonomics during computer, laptop, smartphone, and tablet use, as well as working postures during online teaching or offline content development during the COVID-19 pandemic, were examined. RESULTS: The majority of the participants were male (66.13%), with a PhD (46.77%) and a faculty member position (74.2%). On average, the use of computers and laptops increased by 2.67 h and 2.72 h, respectively, during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. This increase was statistically significant (P < 0.001). MSDs incidence increased significantly before and during the COVID pandemic was observed in the areas of the neck, shoulders, lower and upper back, arms, forearms, wrists and fingers (P < 0.05). The highest cumulative incidence (Cin) of MSDs was related to the neck (Cin = 24.20%), upper back (Cin = 21.29%), low back (Cin = 18.06%) and fingers (Cin = 16.13%). The prevalence of MSDs during the COVID pandemic was significantly associated with employment status (P = 0.042), work experience (P = 0.016), age (P = 0.027), increase in the use of computers/ laptops (P < 0.001), decrease of the smartphone/tablet distance from the body (P = 0.047), workstation (smartphone-tablet, computer, laptop) (P < 0.05), head position (smartphone-tablet) (P = 0.029), display height (computer/laptop) (P = 0.045) and physical activity (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the increased duration of smartphone, computer, and laptop use, combined with decreased physical activity and detrimental changes in ergonomic conditions of workstations during the quarantine period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in a shift from dynamic to static tasks and an increase in the prevalence and incidence of MSDs among university professors.

Formative and validation human factors studies of a new disposable prefilled injection device for subcutaneous delivery of acthar gel (repository corticotropin injection).

BACKGROUND: The administration of repository corticotropin injection (Acthar Gel) via a single-dose prefilled injector (SelfJect) is intended to provide a simple, ergonomic alternative to traditional injection. Iterative human factors (HF) studies were conducted to identify potential use deviations and ensure appropriate device use. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This article presents seven formative studies, a validation study (with prior pilot validation studies), and a supplemental validation study with participants including lay users, patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. Participant interactions with SelfJect and the user interface were assessed. Use deviations, user preferences, and participants' ability to successfully complete tasks were evaluated to generate modifications to the device and user interface. RESULTS: In the validation study, 91% of participants successfully administered their first injection. Use errors were rare with simulated-use (6.9%) and knowledge-based (1.6%) testing. Use deviations were commonly attributed to experimental artifact or information oversight, and device warming had the most use errors (49% of participants), even with extensive testing and adjustments to the user interface. CONCLUSIONS: SelfJect was able to be used in a safe and effective manner by the intended users. Iterative HF studies informed the mitigation of use-related risks to reduce the occurrence of use deviations during simulated use.

Upright versus inverted catching and crating end-of-lay hens: a trade-off between animal welfare, ergonomic and financial concerns.

This study explores upright versus inverted catching and crating of spent laying hens. Both catching methods were compared using a cost-benefit analysis that focused on animal welfare, ergonomic, and financial considerations. Data were collected on seven commercial farms (one floor system and six aviary systems) during depopulation of approximately 3,000 hens per method per flock. Parameters such as wing flapping frequency, catcher bird interaction, incidence of catching damage and hens dead on arrival (DOA) were measured and compared between catching methods. Ergonomic evaluations were performed via catcher surveys and expert assessment of video recordings. The wing flapping frequency was lower (3.1 ± 0.6 vs. 4.0 ± 0.5, P < 0.001) and handling was gentler (1.9 ± 0.5 vs. 4.4 ± 0.5, P < 0.001), both on a 7-point Likert scale, for upright versus inverted catching. However, more person-hours per 1000 hens were required for upright than inverted catching (8.2 ± 3.2 h vs. 4.8 ± 2.0 h, P = 0.011), with only wing bruises being significantly less common for upright than inverted catching (1.1 ± 0.6 % vs. 1.7 ± 0.7%, P = 0.04). Upright catching was 1.8 times more expensive than inverted catching; compensation for this cost would require a premium price of approximately €0.0005 extra per egg. Ergonomically, both catching methods were considered demanding, although catchers (n = 29) preferred inverted catching. In conclusion, this study showed animal welfare benefits of upright vs. inverted catching. Industry adoption of upright catching will depend on compensation of the additional labor costs, adjustments to labor conditions and shorter loading times.

Start of the Season in a Seasonal Work Context: A Better Understanding of the Difficulties Experienced by Seasonal Workers in the Food Processing Industry for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders.

The specific period of the start of a new working season and a return to work after the off-season seems to be a critical moment for the musculoskeletal health of seasonal workers. This study aims to identify the difficulties and working conditions encountered by seasonal workers in this particular period of the working season which may increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). An in-depth ergonomic work activity study, combined with a multiple case study of eight seasonal workers from a meat processing facility, was conducted. Various interviews (n = 24) and observations of work activity, organization, and production (n = 96 h) were held at different moments (off-season, return to work at the start of the season, and during the season). Critical work situations exposing workers to WMSD risks emerged and highlighted a diversity of difficulties, such as accomplishing work activity involving strong physical strain and a significant and underestimated mental load, and having to rapidly develop new skills or re-learn working strategies after a long off-period. The study findings have implications for developing actions to prevent WMSDs that target working conditions and support a return to work for returning seasonal workers and a start of work for new seasonal workers, and to address work disability in this context.